PCP burnout...

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This article on PCP burnout suggests there is opportunity for NPs, but it also makes me wonder if NPs will be subject to the same burnout as the MDs. If NPs are utilized more in primary care role, will it allow more time to be spent with patients? Will things be better for PCPs and NPs? Or will it just be more of the same, but for the NPs?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/a-growing-number-of-primary-care-doctors-are-burning-out-how-does-this-affect-patients/2014/03/31/2e8bce24-a951-11e3-b61e-8051b8b52d06_story.html

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

I worked as a PCP for 3 years and was pretty burned out in that short time. I think it was a function of where I worked, and the high needs patient population I saw. We had 15 minutes per appointment, no matter if it was for a sore throat or a full PE with gyn. Many of my patients were very complex and had not had regular medical care. Administration only cared about numbers. I left for a private specialty practice and I'm much happier. I have plenty of time to spend with my patients and I'm not always running hours behind schedule.

I wouldn't go back to primary care, unless the focus was on patient care and not on how many patients you see. It's too bad. I became an NP to work in primary care, but my experience left me running for the exit. I hope it's not like that for other NPs.

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Specializes in Family Practice, Urgent Care.

It's easy to get burnt out in this area. Why wouldn't we be subject to it?

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Specializes in FNP, ONP.

It is the same for NPs. Why would it be any different? We do the exact same job. The initials behind our names do not protect us from reality! I've been doing primary care for 6 years. I'll never leave it, because providing primary care is the reason I am a NP. But the way things are is the way things are. I don't have any more time to spend w/ pts than do my physician colleagues. The trick is in active listening. Pts don't care if the visit is 10 min long, if you spend 3 minutes listening to their concerns w/o interrupting. If they have mx problems, they will need mx visits. That is just how it is.

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